Outdoor Water Conservation

Outdoor Irrigation Audits

An irrigation audit is a series of tests on your automatic sprinkling system to check the performance and determine how uniformly the system applies water to the lawn. The program runs April – October. Sign up for outdoor irrigation audits here.

Lawn

• Water your lawn during the cool morning hours, as opposed to midday, to reduce evaporation.
• Consider reading the Evapotranspiration schedules posted each day by Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District to determine the most accurate best time to water.
• Make sure that your sprinklers are set to water only grass and gardens and not the sidewalk or street.
• Don't over fertilize — you will increase the lawn's need for water.
• Raise your lawn mower blade to at least three inches. Taller grass promotes deeper roots, shades the root system, and holds soil moisture better than a closely cropped lawn.

Garden

• Plant climate-appropriate species.
• Try plants that are native to where you live, which don't require as much water.
• See our list of drought resistant plants (PDF).
• Group plants together based on their water requirements.
• Use mulch around trees and plants to help reduce evaporation and control water-stealing weeds.